Screen shots by Friendly Panels

For flight simmers who want customized instrument panels like those of some real-world pilots, a wide variety of state-of-the-art instruments are available. But knowledge of panel configuration and time for customizing and testing are requisite. For those simmers who lack that knowledge and/or time, Friendly Panels offers instrument panels customized for default aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator®. Their latest offering is a pair of panels for the Beechcraft Baron 58.

Friendly Panels lists these among other features of its EFD 1000/500 Panels in its product description:

• Aspen 1000/500 EFD
• Garmin GNS530 GPS
• Bendix KLN 94 GPS
• Bendix KX 165A nav/com radio
• Bendix KR 87 ADF
• Bendix KT 76C transponder

Two panels are offered. The M1 and M2 panels are identical except the following differences that are obvious in the screen shots: M1 has the Garmin 530 GPS (large), and M2 has the Bendix/King GPS (small). Both panels have the Bendix/King radios and autopilot. The Aspen EFD500 is a multifunction display (MFD), and the Aspen EFD1000 is a primary flight display (PFD). These panels feature instruments from three manufacturers (Aspen, Bendix, Garmin), while the product name refers only to one of them (Aspen). "EFD" is an acronym for "electronic flight display."

All the instruments were made by Friendly Panels developer, Germán Coca.

Technical Features

This product is only for FSX. The product requires Microsoft Windows XP© or later with at least SP1 and Net Framework 1.1 and a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher (1240 x 1024 recommended). FSX Acceleration or FSX Deluxe, which includes Acceleration, are required, the developer says.

Purchase and installation from the Pilot Shop are very easy. Downloading and installation are quick. Acknowledgment of copyright is required, but no license key is required.

The installation program installs the aircraft and all panels into the "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes" folder under a dedicated folder named "beech_baron_58_EFD." The four manuals and read-me text file are installed into "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Friendly Panels" folder.

Removing the product (if desired) can be done with an uninstall program deposited in the FSX root folder.

Technical support is available through an email address provided in the manuals.

An executable file named "vrefs_restore.exe" is included, but there is no mention of it in any of the documentation. In response to my question, the developer said: "It restores the EFD 1000 Baron 58 default reference speeds. In some cases, if the simulator crashes, all of them are settled to zero and not shown in the gauge. That program restores those speeds, so you don't have to do it manually."

PURCHASE FEATURES
Instant download from the Pilot Shop	Yes
Installation program	Yes
License key required	No
Copyright acknowledgment required	Yes
Manual included	4
Checklists & reference included	No
Uninstall program included	No

Visual Features

Whether these panels are realistic is impossible to determine. There might be two Baron 58s customized exactly like these somewhere, but I was unable to find photos of such on the Internet. It doesn't matter, anyway, because these are customizations and the main product is the instruments. All the instruments appear realistic enough compared with photos I found on the internet.

The yokes, which block some instruments and switches, can be removed with mouse clicks.

The PFD, MFD, GPS, and Bendix radios appear in popup windows when the instruments are clicked.

Those instruments that appear in popup windows are very clear and easy to read — much more so than those in the 2D and 3D panels.

Other than the instrument panels, all the aircraft are the same in all respects to their FSX default counterparts inside and outside. The liveries correspond with FSX plane for plane. The cockpits and cabins are all identical to one another, just like the default aircraft. Only the panels are unique. This is not a criticism but an explanation of what this product is about. It is panels customized with electronic instruments for the Beech Baron 58, not new models of the aircraft.

A major benefit of this package is that flight simmers don't have to install these panels into the default MSFS Barons, which requires knowledge, time, and patience. They simply use Friendly Panels' Barons instead, which makes using the product much easier.

SAMPLE PANELS
M1 Left View	M1 Center View	M1 Right View
M2 Left View	M2 Center View	M2 Right View
Screen shots by Bill Stack

Instrument Performance

For a sense of realism, I used Beech Factory Airport (KBEC) in Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A. for my tests. With elevation of 1,408 feet (429 meters), it has two runways: 18/36 is 100 feet (30.5 meters) wide and 8,000 feet (2,440 meters) long.

• PFD: This instrument combines a typical PFD with a horizontal situation indicator (HSI) into one device. All functions and information provided by each in MSFS default aircraft are provided by this instrument. Additionally, the HSI provides a terrain map.
  
  
• MFD: This instrument provides similar information as the MFD in the Garmin 1000 glass cockpit in FSX. There are two terrain pages. One page is similar to terrain views in the Garmin GPS and MFD we are familiar with. The other resembles weather radar, but it is a terrain view with various colors showing relative elevations. A legend in the manual shows which colors represent what elevations.
  
  
• Garmin GPS: In addition to performing all the functions of the Garmin 1000 global positioning system (GPS) in the default MSFS Baron 58, this instrument provides vertical navigation data such as target altitude set in the autopilot, estimated nautical miles until reaching that altitude, target vertical speed, and actual vertical speed.
  
  
• Bendix GPS: Its use is not explained in any of the manuals — I searched all and found nothing. The developer said omitting this manual from from the package was an oversight, and he gave me an internet address for this manual.
  
  
• Bendix Radio: This radio does everything the default MSFS radios do, specifically setting and displaying active and standby communication and navigation radio frequencies. A GPS mode provides digital data only such as desired track and distance to the next waypoint, much like elementary GPS devices from many years ago. There are no maps. The GPS function of this instrument appears to have been added by Friendly Panels based on the explanation in their B58EFD manual.
  
  
• Bendix ADF: In addition to setting and displaying NDB frequencies in use, this instrument also has a timer.
  
  
• Bendix Transponder: In addition to setting and displaying the transponder frequency, this instrument shows altitude and provides other functions such as testing and standby.
  
  
• Bendix Autopilot: This instrument controls the aircraft's roll and pitch axes, heading, altitude, and vertical speed. Although this autopilot controls altitude and vertical speed, it is not used for setting altitude or vertical speed.
  
  
• Bendix Altitude Selector/Vertical Speed Selector/Alerter (ASA). This instrument enables the pilot to set altitudes and climb/descent rates to be used by the autopilot. It also enables setting decision heights and alerts for when the aircraft is near the target altitude and the programmed decision height. Its use with the radio altimeter is presumed but not clearly stated.
  
  
• Yoke Digital Clock:  This clock is similar to the digital clock in several default MSFS aircraft, and its location in the center of the control yoke makes using it much easier. It displays local time, Greenwich Mean Time, flight time, and elapsed time.
  
  
• Overall: All these instruments perform the same functions as those performed by default FSX electronic instruments, and some perform additional functions. All are basically easy to use, with mouse-clicking being very effective. Users will benefit from "playing" with the instruments while their Baron 58 is parked to find what they do and don't do and how they are used. The instruments in the popup windows are much more clear than those in the 2D and 3D panels.

  The Aspen instruments are on (operating) when the aircraft appear, while the Garmin and Bendix instruments are off (not operating) when the aircraft appear. I searched all over the panel for a master switch that would turn all of them on or off but found nothing, and the instructions are silent about this matter. In response to my question, the developer said each instrument is turned on and off separately with its own on/off switch.

Having never used the real-world instruments these simulation models are based on, I have no first-hand knowledge of their real-world functions. I researched the real-world models, however, and Friendly Panels' versions appear realistic compared with the real-world descriptions and explanations I found.

INSTRUMENT DETAILS
EFD 1000 PFD & 500 MFD Closeup	PFD & MFD Popup	Bendix Radios
MFD Terrain	MFD Terrain	MFD Traffic
Garmin GPS	M1 Radio Stack	M2 Radio Stack
Screen shot by Bill Stack

Checklists and Reference Data

No checklists or reference sheets are included for these aircraft. Simmers who want them will have to copy the files from the MSFS default Baron into the respective folders for each of the Friendly Panels' Barons.

The Manuals

One "read me" text file and four manuals in Adobe Acrobat format provide comprehensive information and instructions for the use of these panels.

• Readme.txt:  This file provides instruction on installing the product and accessing the aircraft in FSX.
  
  
• B58EFD.pdf: Titled "Baron 58 Aspen Electronic Flight Display 1000/500," this 20-page manual displays the overall panels in annotated screen shots and focuses on the Bendix radios and autopilot. It also provides installation requirements and instructions for the overall panels.
  
  
• B58_EFD500.pdf: Titled "Friendly Panels EFD 500 MFD Manual," this 30-page manual explains the Aspen Aviations 500 MFD.
  
  
• B58_EFD1000.pdf: Titled "Friendly Panels EFD 1000 PFD Manual," this 24-page manual explains the Aspen 1000 PFD.
  
  
• GNS530.pdf: Titled "Friendly Panels Garmin GNS530," this 30-page manual explains the Garmin GNS530 GPS.
  
  
• Overall: All four manuals are very well done with numerous annotated screen shots, several detailed diagrams, and clearly written explanations.

SAMPLES OF THE MANUALS
EFD 500/1000 Page 6	EFD 500/1000 Page 8	EFD 500/1000 Page 20
EFD 500 MFD Page 8	EFD 500 MFD Page 18	EFD 500 MFD Page 29
EFD 1000 PFD Page 2	EFD 1000 PFD Page 9	EFD 1000 PFD Page 20
Bendix Radios Page 9	Garmin GPS Page 5	Garmin GPS Page 14
Screen shot by Bill Stack

I did not find any instructions on using the Bendix GPS or the Garmin 430 GPS. The developer said the Bendix GPS manual had been omitted from the package, and he gave me an internet address for that manual (http://www.friendlypanels.com/manuales/KLN94.pdf). The Garmin 430 is listed in the product description, but it does not appear anywhere on the panels and nothing is said about it in the various manuals. The developer said that entry in the product description was a mistake for which he apologized.

By the time the read-me file and the four manuals are available to users, the product is already installed. Identification of system requirements would be more useful in the product description so buyers would know whether their systems could handle this product before buying it. Installation instructions would be more useful if they were briefly explained in a read-me text file contained in the archive file but separate from the program installation file.

More Information

• Hawker Beechcraft manufactures various civilian and military aircraft. Home flight simmers using MSFS have been familiar with its Baron 58 and King Air 350 for many years.
  
  
• Aspen Avionics manufactures electronic flight instruments for general aviation.
  
  
• Bendix/King is a manufacturer of radios and electronic flight instruments owned by Honeywell.
  
  
• Garmin is best known for its GPS devices for aviation, maritime, and general consumers.
  
  

Friendly Panels is operated by Germán Coca "with the cooperation of three more people, one of them an Airbus A340-600 captain," he explains. Other products from Friendly Panels include the Bombardier Learjet 45 Panel and the Bombardier CRJ 700 Panel.

Readers with technical questions not answered in this review should ask the developer. Using the links below, go to the Pilot Shop page where the product is listed and described, then click on "Manufacturer Tech Support" in the right column.

Summary

Friendly Panels' pair of panels for the FSX Beechcraft Baron 58 make adding electronic instruments to this aircraft very easy for anyone. The instruments themselves are realistic representations of the real-world models on which they are based. The manuals are outstanding. Users will do well to read them thoroughly. The developer should fix the problem of some instruments being in the off mode or update the manuals to explain how to turn them on. The missing Bendix GPS manual should be added to the package so future buyers will not need to acquire it separately. Overall, the price of this package is very good for everything it includes.

Bill Stack
billstack@flightsim.com

Learn More About Friendly Panels' Baron 58 EFDs.

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Bill Stack is author of several books about flight simulation, a regular author in flight-sim magazines, and a contributor to Flight Sim Com. His website is www.topskills.com